A Marriage of Convenience and Survival
by TheStendanExperience
Summary: PostS8E1. Everyone knows that Eric went to Africa to teach children in poverty. What happens when Jackie seeks a way out from the pain of Point Place and visits Eric in Africa? And how will a forced marriage change their lives forever? Does love truly conquer all? Thank you to nannygirl(Prissy) for the extraordinary cover art!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: **_That '70s Show_** is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979. It debuted on the Fox television network, first airing on August 1998, running for eight consecutive seasons, and concluding with the 200th episode on May 18, 2006. Plus, if I did own T7S I would have had Hyde/Jackie together and if not them, then Eric/Jackie.

Summary: Post-S8E1. Everyone knows that Eric went to Africa to teach children in poverty. What happens when Jackie seeks a way out from the pain of Point Place and visits Eric in Africa? And how will a forced marriage change their lives forever? Does love truly conquer all?

Setting: Kenya, Africa...for now. Then later PP, Wisconsin.

Spoilers: S1-S8E1.

Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama.

Notes:

-There will be various African words spoken(keywords) from different tribes from different regions. C'mon Eric is there to teach, ya really don't think the locals will know great English, but respect the culture and people, right? :)

-I made up a village in Nairobi. And I took liberties with traditions and customs.

Special note: Big thanks to **Prissy(nannygirl)** and **PrettyinPink33** for helping me plan a few chapters out. It means the world to me! And to **Prissy** for helping me with the farm description.

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_Chapter Preview: The Beginning of the story._

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**_1986_**

The sun shined letting the people in a small village in Nairobi, Kenya that a new day was starting.

The village was a small one where its entire people knew each other and their families. They had lived in either small huts or adobe houses. Out the outskirts of the tight knit village lived a few farmers.

One of the small acres of the small farm fields shined, yet it was warm month. Some of the fields may have tall green stalks of corn growing. The stalks were turning a yellow-brown before harvest in the fall. Many of the farmers were growing soybeans, and green bushy plants that got to be about a foot high or so. After the corn is harvested, the field will be full of brown broken off stalks.

The person who built a peculiar adobe home modeled it after the _Little House on the Prairie_ series log cabin. Once you entered the home, you were right in the small dining area, beyond that was a little kitchen nook. In the kitchen area, there was an open entryway that led outside. If you looked to the left side of the dining area, you would see a wall separating the dining area from the owners' bedroom. And a ladder reaching up into the second level.

Behind the wall, the owners bedroom consisted of a mattress with two pillows and a warm quilt covering it. There were no doors to go in and out the room. Just two open entries, however one was blocked due to the ladder that led up into the large loft that housed the rest of the people who lived there.

Never had Jackie imagined herself living on an Old McDonalds farm but their farm wasn't like Old McDonalds. It was smaller and not as many animals—so it wasn't as noisy as the song made it sound. And there was no big red barn, There were a few chickens/cows but that was as far as things to in the animal area. Mostly it was open land with a few crops for food. The open land was Jackie's favorite part, it gave her and her children more room to run and play than they would ever have if they were still in Point Place.

She had never expected that her life was going to be like this when she was a mere teen. She thought she would be rich, married, and a working woman.

Here she lay on her marriage bed with the last person she expected to marry. She was a house-wife and a seamstress of some sort. And while her husband was away, she tended to the fields as best as she could..

And yet, her current lifestyle helped her. She was no longer the abrasive, superficial, snot-nosed, materialistic girl she had been back in her hometown.

_Then again..._, she thought, _anyone would change when you've had a hard reality check with how poor people are in poverty stricken environments and re-think your priorities and re-hash your personality. _

Yes, there were the few blue moon occasions where shades of her past personality would make an appearance but it was all but gone now. When she first came here, it was to get away from an emotional rollercoaster that her life had been taking at the age of eighteen. If she had stayed any longer in her hometown, she would have had a coarse collision with a meltdown of epic proportions. Before she knew it, she came here and it took time for her to calm down. When she finally had calmed down, she learned the traditions of the village and thought over her priorities. Needless to say she had an epiphany.

Her personality and looks had changed, in her mind, for the better. Her body had changed from her teen slim figure with pert breasts to a more voluptuous with bigger breasts. Her raven hair that had always sat on her shoulders, now reached to the bottom of her waist. It was styled in three ways: a single plait, two plaits, or a messy bun. She frequently wore a bandana to keep hair from getting into her eyes.

She still reached the height of five feet. She still had her little button nose that now had a loop nose ring pierced into her left nostril. The gold nose ring was given to her by a friend that was born and raised in northern India. Her eyes were dark brown as they always were. In her youth it carried the air of compassion and superficiality due to her rich upbringing. Now her eyes carried compassion, worry, and maternal love in her eyes.

She had no need for makeup seeing the many farm, seamstress, and wifely duties she had to do in one day.

She continued to lay in bed, careful not to wake her husband. Dark brown eyes locked on her necklace that had been given to her on her wedding day. In fact, the tribe didn't recognize wedding rings; the necklace was more of a wedding necklace.

_Has it really been eight years, _she found herself wondering as she stared at the ceiling_, can't be...can it?_

Ridding herself of that useless thought, she faced her husband and turned her worried eyes on him. He had been gone for a month, yet again. It was becoming more frequent. Actually, it had been frequent all these years.

His personality had taken quite the turn. Due to the society and environment they lived in, he no longer was a smart aleck to anyone. He had finally come into his own as a man, more dominant like his father before him. He was quieter, yet still the compassionate person she had known since childhood. He was a warrior and leader in his own right. He was a gentleman to everyone who crossed his path. He was still the nice guy at heart. He was still geeky at times. His clumsiness had disappeared. And while he was no longer a smart aleck, he could still be a smart-aleck without thinking. He still had his lightning-fast wit and a sarcastic and deadpan sense of humor.

She smiled as she couldn't help but think, _He always showed a surprising amount of spine and even physical prowess when necessary. Whenever he was incensed he would stand up to anyone, even Red, at which moments he can be surprisingly eloquent. He stood up to Red when he was troubled at Kitty's apparent pregnancy and told him to be a man for her. He did beat up a Green Bay Packers fan up during a game, after he insulted him for wearing a Chicago Bears jersey._

The raven-haired woman snickered as she remembered Red telling her what Eric had done as he had beamed proudly at Eric, who at the time had been talking to Kelso in a corner, claiming that his son did indeed have the Forman Rage. And she had seen the Forman Rage in action more than once in the time that they have been married.

He still wore some of the clothes he grew up wearing, but whenever farming, he took to wearing just a loincloth. Like his wife, his body had changed. His body went from scrawny and skinny to a lean form. His muscles weren't obvious. He didn't have an eight pack. You could only feel the muscles if you went to punch him, only to find it didn't hurt him. He still retained his boyish face thankfully, but it was rugged due to several things that happened over the years. His brown hair had grown longer in the past few weeks, not wanting to cut it or comb it. It now reached down to his neck, giving him an older and more mature look; but he now looked of a man who has seen too much and had a lot on his plate. His beard was thankfully trimmed. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than ever before. Scars were more noticeable.

She worried about him constantly with him being away. It didn't do well for her, especially in her condition. She worried about his mental stability. All thing horrible things he had to have seen while searching for the radicals.

She sighed as she felt him wrap his arm around her waist. She closed her eyes and images of how all this started came to her mind as she wondered...

_How did I get to this point in my life?_

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**So what do you guys think? Should I continue onward or stop?**

**I am working on another E/J story(A Handsome Mistake) and I am planning an outline for a H/J story as well. The H/J one is taking for time to plan out because it deals and involves a lot of research. So fear not fellow H/J shippers, I am working on it! :D**

**Read and review!**

**~Nim**


	2. Slowly Breaking Down

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

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_Chapter Preview: Jackie struggles to hold on to the little sanity she has. And the changes in Point Place._

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_**May 3rd, 1979**_

Sitting in the basement on the old yellow couch, Jackie tried to keep herself from crying her brown eyes out.

Ever since Eric left, the whole gang just fell apart. Kelso was currently living in Chicago with his daughter, Betsy, and the mother of his daughter, Brooke Rockwell. Donna had changed, not for the better. She started dating this guy named Randy, who was the exact opposite of Eric. Randy was actually an okay guy, he just tried way too hard to fit in.

Jackie did agree with Fez however when her foreign roommate went off on Donnas' new squeeze, proclaiming he thought it was bullshit that Randy was immediately accepted into the group as if he had been there for years on end, while he and Jackie had to work to be part of the gang.

Fez. Her foreign friend that was there for her throughout their supposed friends' mistreatment of her, but despite Fez's new pod-person personality, where he somehow became a brown version of a womanizing Kelso, he was still too gullible and Hyde, along with Donna, knew how to pull his strings just right to get him to do what they wanted. He was barely in their apartment anymore due to his new womanizing ways. Jackie didn't mind. She was happy that things were working out for him.

Donna had changed or maybe she had always been this way. Jackie no longer knew, but she did know Donna tossed her aside for a stripper. A stripper. Hadn't Donna looked down on strippers before Sam? So what changed? It hurt Jackie. Donna had been her only female friend. She thought Donna would defend her, but that didn't happen.

She didn't want to think about how Steven Hyde changed. The loving and playful Steven was no longer there. He purposely antagonized her all the time. He burned her, however it was no longer in a joking, friendly way; it was in a hurtful way. He said things that he knew would upset her and destroy her self-esteem, not that she had much on the inside anyway. Hell neither her Steven nor Eric's best friend, Hyde, existed. It was as if he vanished.

She was taken back into the present. She recalled where she was and what just happened. Hyde had dumped blue dye on her hair as a 'joke.'

"Ah, come on, Jackie," Hyde smirked, "Where's your sense of fun?" Donna was covering up a smile behind her hand, while Sam was cackling, and Randy was grinning as if everything was alright.

Just then Fez came in; exuberant as he always seemed to be as he excitedly started, "You won't believe who I got-," he had flailing around the room, his head in the clouds until he saw Jackie, covered in blue dye. His heart broke for her. He never understood why Hyde didn't toss the stripper out, especially since Kelso confirmed that nothing had happened between him and Jackie in the hotel room. After the Sam the stripper came, Jackie was treated like crap by everyone, excluding Eric and Kelso. He knew he, himself, sometimes treated her like shit, but that rarely happened since he was barely at the apartment now days.

He watched as Jackie stood up and almost slipped on the floor. Thankfully she had regained her balance before she could fall. She stomped upstairs into the kitchen. She turned the water on in the sink and dunked her head in. She knew the dye hadn't been on her for long, so she might have been lucky and could simply rinse the dye off.

She struggled with rinsing the dye out of her hair for fifteen minutes before she grabbed a mirror that Mrs. Forman kept in one of the draws. To Jackie's relief she had been able to wash all the dye out.

Wringing out the excess water out of her hair, she looked for any type of clean towel to put on her shoulders to let her hair dry without her clothes getting wet.

She found a clean towel sitting on one of the chairs on the patio, walking out to the patio; she picked up the towel, flung her head forward while draping the towel around her shoulders, and then flung her head back to its normal position.

Just then Mrs. Forman walked into the kitchen and gave Jackie a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She sat down at the table, knowing Jackie was going to clean and insist that she relax because she just got off of a shift.

Ever since Hyde started treating her like crap and Donna abandoned her, Jackie had become close to Mrs. Forman. The kind lady knew of Jackie's innermost wishes and why she wished that. She knew that Jackie wanted to learn how to cook and clean because her parents never did any of the most basic things. She knew that the problem Jackie had with Bob Pinciotti dating her mother, Pamela Burkhart wasn't at all because she thought Pam could do better, it was that she believed Pam didn't deserve Bob and that Bob deserved better than Pam. She knew that Jackie was indeed a broken little girl on the inside, but was loud and abrasive on the outside to hide the insecurities that lay within her soul.

Their bonding gradually happened and before she knew she offered to teach Jackie how to cook if she actually paid attention and didn't complain like she did when she tried to make cookies for Hyde. Jackie agreed. Kitty could see why Red was just so fond of the 'Loud One' as he nicknamed her. And now, Kitty and Jackie would try foreign meals. They would go to the local bookstore and buy cookbooks that had foreign food recipes.

What astounded Kitty more was that whenever she was tired, Jackie would tell her to 'sit down', 'relax', 'take a nap', or simply 'go to sleep' followed by 'I'll clean up' or 'I'll take care of it.' Kitty was proud of her. Despite the harsh way she was being treated, Jackie was maturing. How did that happen, Kitty didn't know. If you asked her a year ago, Kitty would have said that Hyde, Donna, and Eric were the mature ones and that Fez, Kelso, and Jackie were the ones likely to stay in their obnoxious state of mind. But sadly, it seemed as if all the maturing Hyde and Donna did over the years just flew out of a window, while Kelso had matured by getting a job, moving in with Brooke and Betsy. Now that made Kitty so proud of Michael and she knew Red was proud of him as well despite being a dumbass and a kettle head.

Kitty had a feeling that Michael knew how the gang was acting towards Jackie and that's why he rarely visited anymore, which just about broke her heart.

As much as it pained her to admit it, but she and Red were also proud of Eric. They hadn't wanted him to go to teach in some village in Africa, but their son stuck to his guns and went ahead.

And Fez was somewhere in between. There were times where he would stick up for Jackie; that much Kitty noticed, but she also noticed that he seemed to be taking Michael's role within the group. She couldn't help but wonder if it was an odd coping mechanism for him. Then there were times where he would put Jackie down as well and sometimes, harsher, than Steven, Samantha, and Donna put together.

She looked at Jackie, who was cleaning the table with a watered dish rag, then proceeding to wipe it down with a dry one.

She was tired, just plain down drained. Jackie noticed, "Kitty, why don't I handle cleaning the kitchen? Go," she ordered her foster mother, who smiled tiredly in return, "Go to sleep or take a nap."

"Are you sure, dear," Kitty wanted reassurance that the raven midget would be alright. She didn't want her alone with Steven around. It was like Steven purposely sought her out just to verbally tear her down to bits.

Jackie nodded and kissed her on the cheek.

"Okay, dear," and with that, Kitty swung the door to walk upstairs.

Jackie finished drying the table down, now proceeding to clean the counters thoroughly. She wanted to clean because it was therapeutic for her to deal with Hyde and Donnas' bullshit. After ten minutes, she put the rags on the little towel racks. Opening the pantry, she grabbed the mop bucket and mop. Seeing as the kitchen was a small one, it wasn't a long job.

A phone ringing sounded in the room. Jackie cautiously made her way to the phone, making sure not to slip on the wet floor.

"Hello! Forman Residence," Jackie greeted.

"Hey," Jackie's eyes widened at the voice, "its Eric." His voice hadn't changed one bit.

"How is everything over there," Jackie chirped happily, trying with all her might not to cry. Cleaning hadn't help her calm down from the stunt Hyde pulled earlier. She heard Eric chuckle. As much as their friendship had been a love/hate one, it was still a friendship nonetheless. They had exchanged a few letters with Kitty's care packages she sent to him.

"Everything is great," he rumbled, "The children are wonderful. And get this," Jackie smiled because the way he said 'and get this' was the same exact way when he was excited or shocked, "they think I am wonderful. They call me 'Camara' which basically means 'teacher.'"

Jackie laughed weakly, "I'm glad that they admire you. You were always a good teacher."

"Hey, Jackie," he said in a low voice, "I know I shouldn't ask," he paused, wondering if it would be a good idea to ask, "How are you doing with Hyde and everything?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Before Eric and Jackie knew it what happened; Jackie broke down and cried complete gut wrenching sobs as she explained everything that has happened, everything that is going, how she was treated, how everyone changed, and how she felt.

On the other side of the world, Eric was gob smacked. What the hell happened after he left?!

"Eric, I can't stay here anymore," Jackie cried out to the only friend that listened to her, "I can't. Your parents are the only highlight of my day and even then I have to deal with Steven and Sam. I don't know what to do."

Eric took a deep breath. What he suggested took Jackie by surprise.

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**Only three reviews on the prologue? Oh well, I did get PMs saying they were confused. The prologue is Jackie in the year 1986. She is now thinking on how she got to that current place.**

**Read and review!**

**~Nim **


	3. New People and Saying Goodbye

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

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_Chapter Preview: Eric makes a suggestion. What will be Jackie's answer? Meanwhile, the abuse at the hands of Hyde continues. _

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Eric took a deep breath. What he suggested took Jackie by surprise.

He didn't know why he felt the need to help Jackie. Actually he did know, she was his friend and from what his dad and mom had been telling him lately, she was getting an emotional beating from Hyde and Donna. From the sounds of it Hyde and Donna were no longer the people he knew, according to his dad. His mom told him that even Fez had changed by becoming a brown Kelso and that he rarely stayed at the apartment he shared with Jackie.

It took him by surprise when Kelso called him in Chicago. When he asked Kelso how he got the number, all Kelso said was he got the number from his mom and that he didn't like the idea of visiting Point Place, but that he only visits to see his family and the Forman's. When Eric asked his old friend why, the reply he got was 'they're not the same people we knew, Forman,' in a solemn tone. It was then Eric knew his friend was changing for the better.

Another thing that took Eric by surprise was the amount of stuff that Jackie had contributed to the care packages his mother would mail off to him. Every item had the initials of 'K.F' or 'J.B.B.' to mark whoever bought it and put it in the care package. Then there were always two letters. One from his parents and the other from Jackie. His parents letter would describe how everyone is doing and what are they up to. Jackie's letter was more of asking how he was doing, if he was alright, did he need anything, and then would go into the tirade about herself. Eric could see that see she was changing, however she was still in the process of maturing; just as he was.

Looking around him, he noticed that one of his students, a boy named Abasi, was looking at him in wonder. Eric smiled as the young boy tugged on his loincloth, "Camara! Camara! Kuja kucheza na mimi!(Teacher! Teacher! Come play with me!)"

Eric shook his head as he noticed that a few more of his male students were waiting behind Abasi. Eric told Abasi, "Kusubiri kwa dakika. Mimi kuzungumza na rafiki kutoka nyumbani."

Abasi and the others nodded, running off to play in the fields nearby.

"Hello? Eric, are you still there?" Jackie asked.

He nodded as he responded, "Yeah. I'm still here," he let out a breath, "some of my students wanted me to go play with them in the fields."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "I heard you speak...ummm...what is the language you're speaking?"

He laughed, "I'm speaking Swahili. I'm teaching in a small village in Nairobi. The people here used to be a nomadic tribe."

Jackie was excited, "What did you and the boy say just now?"

"Abasi, that's the student who just came to ask me to play with them, yelled 'Teacher! Teacher! Come play with us!' to which I replied, 'Wait up for a minute! I'm talking to a friend from home.'" Jackie became silent.

"You consider me your friend?" she asked quietly.

"Well...yeah," Eric stated as if it were obvious, "I know we didn't act it often, but trust me if I didn't think you were my friend, I would have told you to not even bother coming to my house or the basement."

"Thanks, Eric," Jackie paused, "You were suggesting something."

Eric blushed as he remembered what he was going to say before Abasi interrupted, "Yeah," he gulped. He hoped he didn't come to regret this, "Come over here...to Nairobi." There he said it. Now it was up to her.

Jackie screamed loudly, "WHAT?!" she tried to calm down as she gasped in shock and stuttered, "Are-are you crazy, nerd boy? I'm Jackie Burkhart. I don't do poor countries. I'm so higher up than that."

Eric rolled his eyes heavenward, "Okay, so much for you maturing like my parents have been telling me," he retorted. He was annoyed, he didn't have to make this offer, but he wanted to because he considered her his friend and knew she was going through hell back home, "My mistake, Ms. Superior of Them All."

Jackie felt bad. She didn't mean to get all bitchy on Eric. "I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely to Eric, "I was in shock. It's just been a while since anyone has actually thought about me, besides your parents. I've just been getting ragged on since the stripper came into the picture."

"It's alright," he said, "Jackie. How about this? I'll pay for your ticket. I'll pay for everything. You try this out and if you're not an ounce happier than you were with your best friend and your ex boyfriend constantly breaking your heart, then...damn it you can leave."

On the other end, it was quiet before Eric heard a soft mutter, "You're being serious?"

"Yeah, I am," looking around he saw his friend, James, who had come on the teaching program, just like he had. However, James came from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. James smiled and waved at Eric. "The only condition is that you do not bring anything you know in your heart of hearts aren't necessary for survival," he jabbed at her, though he was serious, "like your unicorns, anything of the color pink. All you need is stuff you know you need to survive like clothes, water, toothbrush, hair brush, and etc."

Out of the corner of his eye, Eric took note that James sat down right next to him on the floor.

"Damn," she really wanted her unicorns, "Alright. I'll take you up on this offer, but I need some job or hobby."

James seemed to have heard Jackie for he spoke in an undertone, "I know Chief was going on about needing a seamstress of some sort."

He had forgotten about that, "Do you know how to sew, devil?"

Jackie bobbed her head up and down in excitement. "Besides your mom teaching me how to clean and cook, she has been teaching how to sew any type of clothing and the style. Why?"

"Well, apparently Chief Elimu told the council that we do need a main seamstress for make clothes for some of the families in the village. Would you be alright with that?" Jackie's response was resounding yes and to tell her if she needed to bring any supplies for the seam stressing job.

"Give me your address, devil and I'll call your apartment with your flight details," Eric demanded of her. Jackie gave out her number and the apartment address.

"Bye, devil."

"Bye, nerd boy," Jackie paused, "And thanks, Eric."

Laughter sounded through her end, his voice rumbled, "Don't thank me just, yet. Living here will be a challenge for you. You're used to being the pampered rich girl. You're definitely going to have to drop that act and put your mind to dirty work."

Jackie cringed.

"Bye, Eric."

"Bye." A click and then a dead dial tone sounded in her hair.

She thought about what Eric said. She wasn't dumb. She knew Africa was practically like a third world country. It was in that moment that Jackie swore she wouldn't complain to whatever kind of work she would have to do in Nairobi.

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Meanwhile in Nairobi, two young men were rough housing with ten little boys as the Chief Elimu watched over the two newcomers fondly.

When the two newcomers had come from America, he had been so untrusting and unsure of them. He had ridiculed them so severely. He watched as the two young men; take each complaint of his with stride.

It was when his youngest son, Fahamu, almost drowned in the river nearby, did Elimu know Eric and James's worth and kindness. Fahamu had been trying to retrieve a ball that accidentally went into the river. From what Elimu recalled his youngest son told him was that the ball at been at the shallow end. Fahamu thought he could get the ball by himself and so went into the water and before he knew it the ball went further into deep waters. His youngest son didn't know how to swim.

Elimu had seen his two oldest sons, Fadhili and Faraji, run up to him and crying out to him. Through tears they had told him what happened to Fahamu. While Fadhili and Faraji were telling him the story, Elimu found himself running to the river, only to see the newcomers he treated horribly, rescuing his youngest.

When Eric and James brought Fahamu on land, he wasn't breathing. The men kept on trying to resuscitate his son. After a full hour, they managed to resuscitate his youngest son.

Fahamu, Fadhili, and Faraji had begged him not to be too hard on their new teachers. Elimu and his wife, Duni, noticed that their sons had been fond of the newcomers since their arrival. Actually, when he had thought back on it, his sons had spoken highly, practically praised their new teachers from America.

After that, Eric and James had been treated as his and Duni's sons. No one was to disrespect them for they knew that if they did, you would be insulting the Chief's family. Not only that, but the two were immediately put onto his council and had say in the village.

Elimu had a ceremony declaring Eric and James were his adopted sons. Then they gave Eric and James tribal names. Eric had been dubbed 'Enzi' meaning 'power and might' while James had been dubbed 'Kondo' meaning 'brave.'

Elimu was brought back to the present by Duni leaning her head on his shoulder, "Did you tell Enzi and Kondo to come to ours? They haven't been in a while." He found himself smiling. His wife was always a worrier and one of the kindest ladies within the small village.

"Not yet, wife," he smiled as he noticed Eric picking up Fahamu and putting him on his shoulders, "But I will soon."

"Abasi! Fadhili!" Duni yelled at her son and his friend, "Careful!" She had noticed that Abasi and Fadhili play fighting was starting to cross from playful to serious. James went over and separated the boys.

Eric was exhausted. He knew James wanted to grill him about Jackie. Why James wanted to know was beyond Eric. He had told everything about his friends back home and James did the same. James knew who Jackie was and all the shit she was going through at home.

Duni, who had noticed the sun was setting, called her three biological sons to her, "Fadhili! Faraji! Fahamu! Let's go!"

Elimu noticed his sons' protests against his wife, "Do as your mother said. Now!" Heads bowed down, the three boys went to their wife. He watched as Duni went to

The other boys who had been playing in the field also dispersed when their fathers or older brothers went to them. The only one left was Abasi who blatantly favored Eric, or as Abasi and the rest of the tribe called him, Enzi.

It was obvious to everyone around him that that the young boy was waiting on Eric and James to bring him home to his mother.

Elimu found himself walking over to his foster sons. He could hear his wife telling Eric and James to come over soon and that she hated thinking of her boys just outside the small village, tending to farms and working out in the sun so much. He smiled and grumbled at them, "You listen to her," he smiled at them, warmly, "She has three sons already who aren't of age to get married and she's just worrying about you two," Eric and James laughed as they were being smothered by their foster mother and adopted brothers.

They pulled away from Duni and greeted their foster father, "Salamu kambo baba! (Greetings, foster father.)" Elimu found himself smiling. Why had he been so against the two young adults was befuddled his mind. They respected him, his family, the tribe, and the village. They even called him 'kukuza baba' meaning 'foster father' and his wife 'kukuza mama' meaning 'foster mother' and looked after his sons as if they were blood.

"Enzi. Kondo," He addressed his two elder sons, "The council is calling for a meeting soon about how we should handle those peace meetings." He told them quite frankly. He nodded his head as he finished the notice and left.

Abasi, who had been hiding behind Eric's loin cloth, asked his favorite person if they could still play. Eric shook his head fondly at the little guy; while James smiled. He was eager to hear about this Jackie person some more and why was she trying to get away from Point Place. He knew his friend's reasons for why he took the teaching position here. James knew it wasn't just skipping college and getting his degree if he just stuck it out here for a year and taught kids.

Eric was placing Abasi on his shoulders. James being the most curious person Eric had ever had the fortune to meet wondered out loud, "I wonder why she wants to come here? I mean...there are other places or states she could have moved to."

They walked from the field for that was where they had been rough housing, into the village. As they trekked back into the village to Abasi's home, Eric told James and Abasi what had happened to Jackie and why she didn't want to move to another state. Eric hadn't meant to tell Abasi, but Swahili just naturally came out of his mouth; just like English did back home.

They walked together.

Two friends that had found each other; trying to cope with being in a new environment.

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Jackie scoured through the many things she owned. Eric had called her back, saying he got everything sorted on his end for her plane ticket.

Looking at her purple and pinks unicorns, she exclaimed angrily, "I cannot believe I cannot bring Mister Fluffycakes. I mean who cares if you cannot manage in some poor town in Africa."

_I can't even bring my bubblegum pink polish_, she angrily thought as she felt the pout on her face forming.

"UGH!"

She had the necessities on her bed. She had packed her toothbrush, hairbrush, underwear, bra, razors, long-sleeved shirts, and some billowy skirts that looked like the ones Karen Grassle had to wear on Little House on the Prairie. She moaned again.

_I can't even wear fashionable skirts any more,_ she bemoaned inside her head, _I have to wear Little House on the Prairie type of shirts and skirts. _

When she and Eric had finished their phone call, she had finished cleaning and then went to the bookstores to buy any type of 'How to Learn Swahili' and any type of cultural books in different villages, tribes, and cities in Africa.

She knew the basic greetings and knew that some of the tribes and villages were somewhat influenced by Arabic and Indian culture. She wondered if she would wear what the women wore in the tribe.

Taking a look around, she knew she almost had everything. She had decided a long time ago that she was going to leave everything she received from the gang behind. She would only bring some of the stuff Eric bought for her when he was still here and a few knick knacks of Mr. and Mrs. Forman.

For the next half hour, Jackie packed all the stuff, she put on the bed, in her suitcase. After she was finished with that she fished out three boxes to put her fabrics, which she kept in the extra closet, and her needles and thread. That took a whole hour to do. She found a black marker and labeled the three boxes.

The raven turned to look at the clock and noticed it was seven in the evening. After Jackie made the call to the cab service, she walked to Fenton's apartment and asked the flamboyant man if he could help her move the three boxes downstairs.

Fenton was sweet. He had agreed to help her. By the time they were done, the cab had arrived.

"Honey, where are you going?" Fenton asked Jackie, kindly. He knew from Fez's mush mouth that their little gang had been harsh on Jackie lately. Jackie shook her head, crying.

Fenton knew Jackie wasn't going to say anything, He watched as she got in the cab and waved goodbye to him.

He knew this was going to be the last time he saw her.

* * *

Jackie told the gruff cab driver to go to the Forman home and to wait. He barked out that was going to cost extra. Jackie just hollered that she was going to pay either way and to wait.

She walked down to the basement where the gang was hanging out. She wasn't even there for a minute before Hyde started in on her, "Hey guys! Look at who it is."

"Hey Jackie." Randy greeted the petite raven. Jackie nodded back and smiled. He wasn't so bad, but as she constantly said before, he tried too hard to fit in.

"So, huh, Jackie," Hyde started in, "Where's Fez?"

"Probably on another date."

Jackie looked at the love of her life in the eye and knew by the cold, lifeless look in his blue eyes, that he was going in for the kill. "How does it feel to know no one wants to be near you?"

Jackie could feel her heart break into several pieces as she heard Sam cooing at Hyde, "Good one, honey."

She could hear Donna chuckling, but surprisingly it was Randy who wasn't grinning. In fact, he looked ashamed.

"Yeah, man," Hyde regained his breath, "I mean he'd rather sleep around with many woman who probably have every VD and STD known to man. He'd rather catch that than be in the same apartment with you for five minutes."

Jackie could feel her world being torn apart. She ran out of the basement and into the cab.

"What happened to you, girlie?" The gruff cab driver politely asked.

"Just bring me to the airport."

He shrugged and drove the sad lady to the airport.

Jackie watched as they crossed with the sign 'Welcome to Point Place' as a tears ran down her cheeks, she whispered, "Goodbye, Point Place."

* * *

**Read and Review!**

**Key terms:**

**kakazu baba-foster father**

**kakazu mama-foster mother**

**Abasi(10)-one of Eric and James's students. Abasi hero-worships Eric and Eric looks to him as a younger brother that needs to be looked after. His best friend is Fahamu, the youngest son of Elimu and Duni. **

**Elimu- Chief of the tribe. Head of the village. Husband to Duni. Father to Fadhili(17), Faraji(14), and Fahamu(10). Foster father to Eric, who he calls Enzi, and James, who he calls Kondo.**

**Duni- Wife to Elimu. Mother to Fadhili(17), Faraji(14), and Fahamu(10). Foster mother to Eric, who he scalls Enzi, and James, who she calls Kondo.**

**Fadhili-firstborn son of Elimu and Duni. Younger foster brother to Eric and James; just like the rest of the tribe and the people of the village, he calls Eric and James by the the tribal name his dad gave them. Older brother to Faraji and Fahamu. **

**Faraji-second born son of Elimu and Duni. Younger foster brother to Eric and James; just like the rest of the tribe and the people of the village, he calls Eric and James by the the tribal name his dad gave them. Younger brother to Fadhili. Older brother to Fahamu. **

**Fahamu-youngest son of Elimu and Duni. Younger foster brother to Eric and James; just like the rest of the tribe and the people of the village, he calls Eric and James by the the tribal name his dad gave them. Younger brother to Fadhili and Faraji. He is best friends with Abasi. Fahamu tends to hero-worship James, just like Abasi hero-worships Eric. **

**James Hunter- Eric's best friend. He teaches the math classes. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Penn. He, like Eric, skipped out of college to get his teaching degree. **

**I hope that helps. **

**~Nim**


	4. Need Your Opinion-AN

**Disclaimer: _See first chapter._**

* * *

Author Note:

First, sorry this isn't an update. I do have the next chapter typed up and ready to be post. I want you, as my reviewers, opinion on something. Looking back on the prologue I love it, but there is another part of me that wants to erase the current prologue and put in an angsty and tragedy filled one. Do you want the current one or the new one?

The middle will stay the same. You know Jackie going to Africa and the rest of the journay. It's just the beginning and the end will be different.

Your opinion?


	5. Arriving and Meeting New People

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

* * *

_Chapter Preview: Jackie arrives and meets new people. James and Eric have a talk; so do Elimu and Eric. A council meeting takes place. And we meet and learn of new people. Eric and Jackie finally see each other._

* * *

_**May 5th, 1979**_

Two days later, Jackie peeled herself off the uncomfortable seat and waited for the other passengers to file out of the plane in front of her. She had hurriedly scribbled his address, scrawled on the back of a receipt for pads she had bought for her period two months back.

After going through customs and exiting the terminal, she saw a stern looking elderly man who had a sign with her name scrawled on it. She introduced herself to the man. However, he was rude.

They walked in silence to the conveyer belts and as she spied one of her suitcases, the stern man asked her if the suitcases were one of hers. Jackie, being annoyed and insulted that the man hadn't bothered to introduce herself, stomped her foot and then nodded.

As soon as he heaved the suitcase from the conveyer belt, he spied the other and heaved that one next to its twin.

"Here is my car." the man said, pointing to an old beat up car. There was hardly any paint left on the car and rust could be seen. She looked over it thoughtfully and in disdain, but quickly covered it up.

"Thank you again for the ride," she told him. She gave him the receipt that had Eric's address. He looked down and then grunted as he ripped up the receipt.

Jackie gasped, "Why did you rip it up? It had my friend's address on there!"

He looked at her thoughtfully and then smiled at her, "Everyone in the village knows where Enzi lives. No need for receipt."

It was a silent ride for an hour at most until the village came in sight.

"I see the village!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The man laughed. "Yes, those are the adobe houses. Poorer people live in huts in this village."

As they drew closer and closer to the narrow dirt roads, Jackie's excitement quickly turned to nervousness. The man slowed the vehicle down to accommodate, barefoot children crossing the small, muddy, narrow street with their brothers and sisters, while men standing on the corners, looking after their kids. While the women were talking and laughing as they drifted carrying foods and seemed to be doing regular house hold chores. "It's so simple, yet beautiful," she commented, in awe.

"Our village is not a big one like many others in Nairobi and Mombasa." The man noted as he kept on driving into the outskirts of the village.

"Where are we going?" she asked the old man.

He laughed, "My name is Rafiki. Means friend."

Jackie smiled softly at the odd man, "Hi, Rafiki. My name is Jackie."

Rafiki once again stumped as he said, "Name has to go like Kondo and Enzi's."

All Jackie did was mouth _'What?' __She didn't know who this Enzi was. _

Noticing the fields and the few little homes surrounding it, she asked him, "Is this where Eric lives?" She took notice of the greener pastures with livestock roaming around through the crops. She found herself smiling as she saw an old lady stewarding cows in a little dirt path. A husband tending to a chicken coop. She took note that some kids and small children were in their the newcomer took in the sights of the village and tried her best to process everything, there were a group of men in the hut on the other end of the tiny village.

* * *

"These men are becoming stronger. But if there leader were to be murdered and killed, these children wouldn't be made into little harmful warriors that turn against their own families." Chief Elimu told his council.

Duni currently sat outside as she cut up the peppers. Faraji and Fahamu were helping her chop and separate the food. Fadhili, however, was in the council. Elimu noticed his firstborns scared look and reassured him with his eyes. Fadhili had to get used to this. Life was not an easy journey.

"What are we going to do? And why do we care? They are not attacking us! They are in the south!" A middle-aged man with gnarled hands and mismatching eyes. His left eye was green, while his right was fully white. He was blind in one eye. His name was Matumba.

Outrage poured out against what the elderly man proclaimed. "Kijinga(stupid)! We have no reassurance that they will travel here. You think because they're in the south, that they would stay there? Elimu, I agree with Enzi and Kondo. We should be cautious and secure. These men are dangerous and could possibly harm our families. Our sons and daughters!"

Elimu had had enough. "Mkutano kumaliza(meeting finished)!" He had meant for this meeting to go on longer, but Matumba always made things so very difficult for his council to agree on things.

Within seconds most of the men had left. Fadhili went outside to relieve Fahamu of chopping of the crops. Quickly telling his youngest brother to get lost, he sat down and started helping his mother out at the same time he kept an watchful eye on the youngest one.

Noticing the serious look Elimu was aiming towards his friend from Point Place, James went out of the hut and decided to stay and wait for Eric. He knew their foster father planned on giving Eric a dressing down for telling Jackie to come over especially with the current crises and potential threat that was happening in the south of the country. He knew he would be able to hear everything if he just stood outside the hut. Right by the entrance.

Just as he was about to leave, Eric felt a hand clamp onto his left shoulder, preventing movement on his part. Then he heard it. "Enzi!" Elimu rumbled in his gravelly voice. "Who is this girl Abasi told me of? The one who is coming from your village in Amerika?"

"Kakazu baba. Hmmm…she is an old friend from home who has been having a hard time there. And she missed me." Eric retorted to Elimu, whose sharp gaze could tell that while his son may not have been fond of the girl, he did care about the stress and abandonment she was receiving from the place he had just recently left. Elimu ran a gnarled hand across his face and glanced at his foster son with worry.

"Mwana(son)…Out of all the times you invite your friend over here!" Elimu couldn't finish his sentence. He knew Eric had sense; sometimes and more so than some of the men who had been on the council when the people of the village were still a nomadic tribe. "Enzi…I've no problem with you helping your friend, but at a time like this?! When there could possibly be guerilla groups coming to the north?! My son! You usually are smarter than this. She could handle heartbreak and eventually move on. Now she is coming here when we could be under threat!" Eric opened his mouth to speak, yet his snapped it closed as Elimu held his hand up, letting him know he wasn't finished on the matter by a long shot. "You know of the situation in the south part of Africa? Matters are getting worse there as well." Letting out a deep breath from his nostrils, Elimu faced Eric. "I won't lie. I am a bit disappointed, but we can't tell her to simply go back and appear cold towards her. I want you to be watchful of her. If you can't be with her due to teaching or being at one of our meetings then have someone reliable to look after her. Kuondoka(leave)."

"Kwaheri kakazu baba(Goodbye, foster father)." He slowly walked out of the hut. He found it so odd that he lived in an adobe home, yet his foster father, who was the chief of the tribe, lived in a medium sized hut. Then again he built his home when he decided he couldn't keep living in the cramped quarters they kept him and James in when they first arrived.

James looked at his best friend. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he heard the dressing down. "So I'm guessing he is alright with it?" Eric nodded as they walked away from the hut after they gave a kiss to Duni as she made them promise to see her soon on their own. Not for a meeting. Then saying goodbye to their younger foster brothers they retreated into the middle of the village where rickety homes and huts lay, along with small markets, shops, and even a bazaar.

"Hujambo Enzi! Hujambo Kondo." A female student of theirs greeted them with a 'hello' as she beamed a happy smile. Her name was Meera, the pronunciation sounded like the three beginning letters were 'me' and the last two were 'rah' with no exaggeration to it. Eric and James didn't have a clue as to how she got her name since Meera was of Israeli and Hindu origin meaning 'light; saintly woman.' The other reason why they were confounded was that her family wasn't mixed at all and usually if there was a name that wasn't African then the head of the tribe asked the family to give the person in question a tribal name.

James and Eric smiled. She was a precious little one, yet very shy. Even now as she exuberantly greeted them, it looked as if she wanted to bolt out of sheer nervousness. "Hujambo Meera." James replied, bending down to level himself with her. "Someone looks very happy today? Any reason?"

Meera made happy squeal that had made Eric's eyes widen and then had him laughing. He never knew she could get so excited, then again didn't all young ones? His smile faltered as he thought of Hyde. No, it seemed that didn't include all children. He shook the memory of his best friend/brother back home. He didn't want to think of him.

He turned his head downwards to look at Meera, not wanting to bend down since he did some of his field work this morning before he went to teach in the village. Needless to say his knees ached. He winced as he thought of having to later bend down to lay on his measly mattress he had in his home.

"Mama had the baby just now!" Now James and Eric were indeed interested. Meera's mom, Afeni, second and most likely last pregnancy. It had been a worrisome topic within the whole tribe. She was five feet and very dainty despite the fact that she had birthed Meera. Afeni's second pregnancy, which obvious happened before James and Eric came to Africa for the program, had put the small woman at risk. James and Eric had actually met Afeni while she was on bed rest. What they saw had scared them for Afeni's body was a thin stick with a basketball sticking out.

Their worried expressions were noticed by Meera. "Why are you two looking so worried? Aren't you happy?" She looked side to side as she noticed them looking at one another as if to see what they were going to do.

Eric ruffled her hair playfully. "Yeah, we're happy. It's just a pregnancy takes a lot of work and so does giving birth. We just hope she is alright and not tired." Meera let out a silent 'oh' and nodded her head.

James lightly tapped the dimple in her left cheek with the index finger on his left hand and it made her giggle. "So was it a boy or girl, little one?"

"A boy!"

"Aren't you excited?" James asked her softly. He was tired. He, like Eric, did some of his own farmwork before meeting up with Eric and walking into the small little school building where they taught.

The council meeting and having to hear Matumba's stupidity in the meeting and knowing that Fadhili had to now be in the meetings just made for a tired James and Eric. Last but not least the discussion of the threat possibly coming from the south from a leader that was a radical and forming a horrible and brutal guerrilla group had the two on edge. And James knew his brother's headache was far from over. He had to go home to see a girl he apparently could barely stand, yet called her a friend when he was home because his Point Place best friend was treating her like shit.

It seemed as if Eric just wanted to get home soon. Tilting his side to the side, Eric asked Meera what Afeni had named the newborn.

Meera excitedly yelled. "Zuberi."

As Eric opened his mouth to say something, a man's gravelly voice was heard yelling with worry. "Meera! Meera!" Zola, Afeni's husband and Meera and now apparently little Zuberi's father, ran up to her and scooped the little girl into his arms. Turning to Eric and James, he smiled in a thankful way. "Ah! Enzi! Kondo. You've heard the news I take it." They nodded. The poor man looked very haggard and they could only wonder how the birthing went with Afeni.

Men in their culture weren't allowed to be near the woman when she was giving birth. The midwives or rather women in the family would rush to the woman giving birth and push the men out of the room, leaving the man to pace outside.

Laying a hand on the thirty year old man's shoulder, James asked Zola. "How is she? When Meera told us…" No other words needed to be said. Literally everyone in the village and on the small outskirts of the village at least stopped by Zola and Afeni's home two to three times a day, just to check up on her. No matter if it was raining or if the sun was out in the sky. It was a priority to everyone.

Glancing around the small, narrow busy street as he kept a tight on the rare hyperactive little girl. "Thankfully the birthing went well despite her small stature. She said she is hurting…." Zola paused and the men understood. It had to have hurt her down there. She gave birth to a nine pound baby boy out of dainty like figure. Seeing his daughter raring to go home to see her new little brother he rolled his eyes and laughed. "We have to go. You will come over soon?"

"Of course, Zola." James reassured him. "We'll come over sometime tomorrow." Eric shouted to Zola's back.

James turned his head to look at Eric. "What are you going to do when you see her?" He was curious after all.

Eric began to explain as they continued to walk to the outskirts of the village. Being stopped by people to have small conversations with them to see how they were along the way.

* * *

Jackie didn't know what to do or to say. Rafiki seemed like a kind old eccentric man. Kind of like Leo, if there was anyone she had to compare him to. Just without the drugs.

She observed the home that according to Rafiki, Eric had built by himself. She found that in itself hard to believe. Sure she knew Eric could fight but he rarely did and he rarely did any kind of hard manual labor. For her to hear he built this was surprising.

She looked at the little loft like space at the top. The ladder led up there. It seemed as if it were additional sleeping space. She was so not sleeping there. The room under the loft was Eric's bedroom. It wasn't messy like his bedroom in Point Place. It was obvious that he didn't wear much out here due to the overbearing heat as she spotted the chest trunk that held all of his clothes. His little necessities were settled in an old shoebox she recognized back in Point Place. Was this really how her old friend now lived?

She gave the house an onceover and decided for the most part it was barren. She noticed the chicken coop by the side of the home earlier and the cows he had roaming around. She figured that for the most part he lived through crops more than livestock. She critiqued it in a snobbish manner in her mind and found herself stopping the thoughts. She promised she wouldn't act or think that and she was going to keep her promise.

Rafiki cleared his throat. He let the raven take in her surroundings and he knew she was going to throw a fit when she realized Enzi had a cot for her to sleep on. Hearing the sound Jackie turned around and gave him a smile. He wasn't so bad after all. On the way to the outskirts of the village, Jackie remembered that whenever Rafiki had to stop for people on the streets that a lot of them had come up to Rafiki and asked how Enzi, who she now figured out meant Eric, was doing and if he was okay or if he could ask Enzi to do a favor. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was a beloved person in this small and quaint village. "You are wondering why Enzi so ummm…word popular here? Right?" Jackie nodded.

He sat down on the floor right next to the table. Jackie looked at Rafiki in a questioning manner. The table had seats for them to sit on then it dawned on her that he must be used to sitting on the floor and had done so out of habit. Not wanting to seem rude, she gladly sat across from him on the floor, looking at him all the while smiling gratefully. She took note that Rafiki made himself at home, so he must spend a lot of time with Eric and add the fact that people were asking Rafiki about Eric. That was her other clue.

Rafiki seemed to be contemplating how to explain just how Elimu and the others felt about Eric and James at first and how they rescued Fahamu. A few seconds later he began to tell Jackie of how Eric and James came to be so loved in the village. Jackie was so engrossed in the tale that she didn't hear the footsteps by the time Rafiki was finished.

It was Rafiki yelling out to someone whom he saw through the open window(with no actual window, mind you.) "Enzi! Wewe ni rafiki imewadia(Enzi! You're friend has arrived)."

Jackie became nervous. Paranoia got the best of her. She felt her insides squirming. She and Eric were always verbally sparring with each other and when they were alone in the same room it was ignore the other and silently acknowledge they were there or verbally spar with one another and at the rare times be a soundboard to adult problems. Something she always found odd because it was true. All the times they went to advice to one another it was about an adult decision or situation. Her pregnancy scare with Kelso, her TV show (which was an adult thing because it was about her career for life), him going to Africa and so much more. Would he hate her? Would he be annoyed? There was a reason why Hyde was best friends with him for so long and valued him!

As soon as Eric stepped through the frail wooden door and into the dining area he and Jackie felt their breaths catch in their throat. Before Jackie knew Eric spun her around and gently put her back down. Turning to hug Rafiki, who appeared to be leaving, told him. "Asante sana, Rafiki."

They stared at one another noticing the major changes in Eric's attitude and the little changes at Jackie's outer appearance, yet he also noticed the fragile state of her in her eyes. Jackie noticed that she was right. Eric was still as scrawny as ever and he was wearing a loincloth that started from his waist and ended at his ankles. Waving his hand to follow him, they sat on the chairs.

Gently pulling her right hand away from her body, he squeezed her hand and she looked into his ever compassionate eyes. It befuddled her. Here was Eric in Africa without any modern technology or medicine near him and yet he was making sure she was alright. Their eyes met as they gave each other tired smiles. He absently explained to her. "Rafiki is the medicine man/shaman of the village."

She nodded. "Ah!"

Then Eric asked the big loaded question.

"Look Jackie." Eric began as he tried to find the words. "I don't know what exactly happened back home. I only know what the little my dad and mom have been telling me. It has to be bad if you took my offer to come here." He squeezed her hand again silently assuring her that she could say no to the next question. "You wanna talk about it and explain everything to me?"

Once again she felt the threat of tears stinging her eyes. He had no clue how bad everything was for her back home. Pulling her hand from his, she clapped it over her mouth as tears fell and she nodded her head.

Eric got up and walked around the table to sit next to her. "Come on. Tell me what happened."

* * *

**Zola(30)- friend of Eric and James. He has a wife named Afeni and two kids Meera and Zuberi. He is thirty years old. Zola means 'quietness.'**

**Afeni(29)- friend of Eric and James. She has a husband named Zola and is the mother of Meera and Zuberi. I won't lie. Afeni is the name of Tupac Shakur's mother. Oddly enough in African origin, Afeni means 'health.'**

**Meera(10)- little student of Eric and James's. She is friends with Abasi and Fahamu. She's the firstborn of Zola and Afeni. She is also an older sister to newborn brother Zuberi. Israeli and Hindu origin meaning 'light; saintly woman.'**

**Zuberi(?)-Newborn. Second child of Zola and Afeni's. Zuberi means 'strong'**

**Rafiki(67)-Mentor to James and Eric and is the medicine man/shaman to the people. Rafiki means 'friend.'**

**Matumba(50)- an old cranky council member. Matumba means 'dead man's clothes.' I didn't get too creative there. **

**Read and Review!**

**~Nim**


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